- Written by Holly Honderich
- in washington
Former President Donald Trump said Arizona went too far after the state Supreme Court upheld a near-total abortion ban dating back to 1864.
Trump told reporters Wednesday that he believed the ban would be “corrected” soon.
The law prohibits abortion during pregnancy unless it saves the mother's life.
His comments, coming two days after he issued a statement saying abortion rights should be left to each U.S. state, sent mixed signals.
In a video statement posted to his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump cited Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that has protected access to abortion across the United States for nearly 50 years. He also praised the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned it.
He campaigned to appoint judges who opposed Roe in 2016, but then as president he nominated three conservatives to the court, all of whom voted to overturn Roe.
But the presumptive Republican presidential nominee remained silent on a nationwide ban of any duration, which is now the goal of most anti-abortion activists, saying, “It's up to each state to do the right thing. It depends on the situation,” he said.
“My current view is that from a legal standpoint abortion is happening wherever anyone wants it, and each state will decide by vote or by law or both, and whatever the state decides is It has to be the law.”
On Wednesday, during a visit to Atlanta, Trump went a step further, saying he would not approve a federal abortion ban if re-elected.
“If Congress sent a national abortion ban to your desk, would you sign it?” an ABC News reporter asked.
“No,” Trump said, shaking his head.
And he expressed concern about Arizona's ban, saying the governor would soon “bring it back to reason.”
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a 160-year-old ban could be enforced, a decision that could have far-reaching implications for women's health care and election-year politics in the battleground state. be.
But the justices, all appointed by the Republican governor, suspended their ruling for at least 14 days and sent the case back to lower courts for additional arguments on the law's constitutionality.
Gov. Katie Hobbs called for the law to be repealed, and Attorney General Chris Mays, also a Democrat, said he would not prosecute Arizonans for performing or undergoing abortions.
Still, leading anti-abortion activists, including Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, were quick to praise the ruling, calling it “a major victory for unborn children and their mothers.” said.
“Reinstating Arizona's pro-life law will protect more than 11,000 babies a year at every stage of pregnancy,” she said.
Democrats and pro-abortion groups also responded, warning that the ban could pose serious risks to women's health in the state. If enacted, Arizona residents seeking abortions would have to go to neighboring states where abortion is still legal, such as California, New Mexico and Nevada.
Dr Gabriel Goodrick, founder of Camelback Family Planning, an Arizona abortion clinic, told the BBC the ban was “draconian”.
“My reaction was shock, disappointment and disgust,” she said. “This law dates back to a time when people didn't have bodily autonomy.”
But several Republicans joined Trump in criticizing the ban, including former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Trump ally and Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake. Two years after calling the ban “a great law,” Lake said he “opposed” the ban.
Their comments highlight the need for political balancing for Republicans, who need to appease conservatives who broadly oppose the process without alienating swing voters.
Since Roe was overturned in 2022, Americans have been found to protect access and support pro-abortion ballot initiatives and candidates, helping Democrats gain or lose votes. .
Arizona is likely to launch its own abortion voting initiative in November. This vote would give Arizonans the opportunity to override the 1864 ban and protect access to abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.